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SharpLink Gaming Sells Fantasy Sports and Sports Game Development Business Units to RSports Interactive

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SharpLink Gaming Ltd. (Nasdaq: SBET) (“SharpLink” or the “Company”) announced that on January 18, 2024, the Company entered into an agreement to sell all of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock or membership interests, as applicable, in its SportsHub/fantasy sports and free to play sports game development business units to RSports Interactive, Inc. (“RSports”) for $22.5 million in an all-cash transaction. Nearly all employees of these acquired business units will also move to RSports to help ensure a seamless transition.

SharpLink further reported that it used approximately $14.9 million of the proceeds from the sale to repay in full all outstanding term loans and lines of credit with its lender; in addition, SharpLink paid approximately $4.5 million to redeem an 8% Interest, 10% Original Issue Discount Senior Convertible Debenture issued to an existing shareholder in connection with a Securities Purchase Agreement signed in February 2023. As a result, the Company is now free of interest bearing debt.

As further detailed in a Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission later today, SharpLink’s Board of Directors considered the following factors, among others, in reaching their decision to approve the sale:

  • With the sale consummated, SharpLink expects to significantly reduce its operating expenses, primarily due to a significant reduction in headcount, lower office lease costs, greatly diminished state licensing requirements, elimination of interest bearing debt service and other resulting cost savings, thereby positioning the Company with the ability to achieve positive cash flow from its remaining performance marketing business on an accelerated basis;
  • The sale significantly strengthens the Company’s working cash position and total shareholders’ equity and provides the capital necessary to extinguish nearly $19.4 million in interest bearing debt – all without having to rely on dilutive equity financings to support the Company’s future growth;
  • The improvement in the Company’s total shareholders’ equity position is expected to enable SharpLink to regain compliance with Nasdaq’s minimum continued listing requirements; and
  • The sale of the Company’s fantasy sports and free-to-play games development businesses positions SharpLink as a pure-play, performance marketing company serving the global sports betting and iGaming industries.

In connection with the sale, Chris Nicholas, the Company’s Chief Operating Officer and a member of the Board of Directors, resigned as an officer and director of the Company, effective immediately.

Commenting on the sale, Rob Phythian, SharpLink’s Chief Executive Officer, stated, “This sale represents a pivotal milestone for SharpLink, allowing us to unlock significant value in our fantasy sports and game development businesses and achieve multiple critical objectives without having to turn to a potentially dilutive equity financing to strengthen our financial footing, regain compliance with Nasdaq, and support our efforts to ultimately create sustainable long-term value for our shareholders. Moreover, we are confident that our fantasy sports and sports game development businesses will continue to thrive and prosper in the great hands of RSports, which has exciting plans to elevate the combined businesses to new heights.”

Continuing, Phythian said, “Our remaining sports betting and iGaming performance marketing business will be more focused and simplified, allowing us to prioritize innovation and organic growth, while empowering us to look for strategic opportunities to strengthen SharpLink’s position as a trusted solutions provider to both current and future business partners.”

Gaming

Fortnite Battle Royale Global Championship and Rocket League World Championship Head to Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, This September

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The location for upcoming Fortnite Battle Royale and Rocket League in-person Championship events has been revealed! Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas will host both the Fortnite Championship Series (FNCS) Global Championship 2024 and Rocket League World Championship 2024 this September.

FNCS Global Championship 2024

Mark your calendars for September 7-8: the in-person FNCS Global Championship will feature 50 of the top Fortnite Competitive duos from around the globe, competing for a share of the $2,002,000 USD prize pool.

Qualification, format, and key dates for the Global Championship can be found in the FNCS 2024 Details blog post.

Ticketing information will be revealed in the coming month, with updates to be posted on the Fortnite Competitive website and social media channels. For more information, check out the reveal blog.

RLCS World Championship 2024

This year’s Rocket League World Championship runs from September 10-15 and returns to Dickies Arena on September 13-15 for the final two days of competition in front of a live audience. The culmination of the RLCS 2024 season, the Rocket League World Championship will feature the 16 best international teams and a $1,165,000 USD prize pool.

Rocket League World Championship 2024 qualification, format, and key dates can be found in the 2024 season announcement blog.

Ticketing information will be revealed in the coming month, with updates to be posted on the Rocket League Esports website and social media channels. For more information, check out the reveal blog.

BLAST, Rocket League Esports and Fortnite Competitive have teamed up with the Fort Worth Sports Commission, an international sports destination agency, and C3 Presents, Texas’ leading event promotion companies, to help support and promote both events coming to Fort-Worth, Texas in September 2024.

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Canada

Exploring Canada’s video Game Market: Survey Insights

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Technology has become a great source of entertainment to many. Video games particularly have garnered interest from all demographics. In Canada, the gaming industry has experienced significant growth, fuelled by increased accessibility to gaming platforms and the growth of online gaming communities.

Statistics indicate that a large percentage of Canadians are engaged in gaming activities, whether it be playing console or PC games, mobile games, or online multiplayer games. The popularity of video games extends beyond leisure pastimes, with many Canadians participating in gaming competitions, attending gaming conventions, and consuming gaming-related content on platforms like Twitch and YouTube.

The number of video game users in Canada reflects how broad the sector is, from mobile games to digital video games, download games and live streaming. In 2024, the gaming sector will see millions of users in each of these categories. Statista projects 13.38 million users for digital video games and 7.35 million users for online games respectively. It estimates that revenue in the Canadian video game market is expected to reach US$3,925.00m in 2024, so it is no surprise to observe the increasing popularity of the sector.

Well-known online casino provider BetVictor has compiled some key points from major surveys detailing the video game market to give further insight into its makeup and potential. The gaming culture in Canada is growing, which means the type of games and genres will grow along with the sector. Statista recently conducted a survey of 1 576 respondents aged 18 – 64 who are avid video game players, with telling results. ​​In December 2023, a survey about preferred video game genres in Canada revealed the top four genres as being Action, Action – adventure, Adventure and casual games accounting for 31% of respondents’ preferences.

David Winter, Marketing Manager at BetVictor notes that “We’ve seen a steady increase in the popularity of action-themed and adventure-themed slots and many providers are exploring how to expand further into this market.”

The popularity of Action games such as platform and fighting games can be attributed to various factors, such as: social interaction, accessibility and inclusivity, social appeal, and cultural influence. With such a diverse audience, all these factors are crucial to understand the appeal of Action games.

In the digital age, gaming has transcended mere entertainment to become a cornerstone of culture, and nowhere is this more evident than in Canada. From coast to coast, a diverse community of gamers is thriving, reflecting the country’s inclusive spirit and passion for technology. Whether it’s the casual gamer enjoying a quick session on their smartphone or the dedicated enthusiast meticulously building a custom gaming PC, Canada offers a welcome haven for all kinds of gamers.

Diving deeper into the Statista results, Strategy games accounted for 29%. This shows us that players have a strong interest in tactical and decision-making games. While role-playing (RPG) and sports games garnered 22% each, simulation and shooters trailed slightly behind at 21% and 20% respectively.

MMO (massively multiplayer online games), as well as MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online role-playing games) and MOBA (multi online battle arenas) came in at 13% and 8% respectively, representing a significant but niche following. With such a diverse array of preferences, the survey underscores the multifaceted nature of interests among Canadian gamers. It highlights the need for game developers to cater for a wide range of genres and gameplaying styles in the Canadian market.

From action shooter games to role-playing adventures, the industry has something for every gaming enthusiast in the Canadian market. Overall, the popularity of video games in Canada reflects a growing cultural phenomenon, where gaming has become a mainstream form of entertainment and a significant aspect of modern-day leisure activities.

Statistics anticipate a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.10% for 2022-2027, resulting in a projected market volume of US$24.52bn by 2027. Canada’s online gaming market is experiencing a surge in popularity, with a surging number of Canadian players engaging in immersive virtual reality experiences.

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Gaming

Knorr and World-renowned Gamer and Streamer, Ninja, Call on Gaming Industry to Supercharge Vegetables in Games

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Knorr – a global leader in bouillons, soups, seasonings, sauces, and more – and world-famous gamer and streamer, Tyler ‘Ninja’ Blevins, reveal to top gaming publishers a little-known imbalance found in a multitude of their games. While everyone knows veggies are good for you in real life, they’re not so good in the virtual world of gaming.

Ninja and Knorr think it’s high time veggies are powered up to get the recognition they deserve, and they are calling on the gaming community worldwide to join this ambition with its #ModTheVeg petition. Gaming fans are invited to sign a petition to show their support for giving veggies a boost in the virtual world and bring a new balance to gaming sustenance.

With a passion for supercharging veggies in the real and virtual world thanks to its flavorful seasonings, Knorr investigated just how much veggies are lagging in the virtual world and in 15 top games they fell behind significantly. For example, in one popular game munching meat gives a +15HP boost while chomping on cabbage delivers just +10HP. In other games the difference is even bigger, where a beef steak brings +552HP while a hearty bean stew lies in its wake, only patching up to the tune of +61HP.

“Recently, I’ve been more mindful of what I put in my body, I have learned how important balanced meals are for my long-term health. Historically, through games we have been limited to using meat based diets to get you through the main quests or heal faster, while apples or cabbage heal you for way smaller. Wouldn’t it be awesome if veggies counted for more in game? Well that’s why I teamed up with Knorr, they came up with some awesome mods for all our favorite games, which will teach fans the importance of veggies and a balanced diet,” said Ninja.

As part of part Ninja’s partnership with Knorr, he will stream on Friday, March 22 at 2 pm PST to bring the issue to his followers, champion veggie equality and play some exciting veggie specific mods. He won’t be alone as a crack squad of eight streamers from across the globe are joining the mission over the coming weeks.

“At Knorr, we believe in making good food accessible for all, so we’re thrilled to team up with Ninja to show how powerful veggies can be and create a new taste of adventure in gaming. We hope this campaign will catch the attention of gaming publishers and spur them on to re-evaluate their games and give veggies the supercharge they deserve,” said Gina Kiroff, Chief Marketing Officer of Knorr North America.

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